Apparatus for forming and attaching plug terminals



Au 15,1939; v C.'J. KELLER 2,169,802

APPARKTus FOR FORMING AND ATTACHING PLUG TERIINALS Filed Feb. 23, ,1958 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 i v 4INIVENTOR CLARENCE J KELLER Hls ATTORNEYS Aug.15,1939. L c. KELLER I 2,169,302

APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND ATTACHING PLUG TERIINALS Filed Feb. 25, 1958 7 Sheets- Sheet 2 Y HIS ATTorew-ivs INVENTOR CLARENCE J KELLER c. J. KELLER Aug." 15, 1939.

APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND ATTACHING PLUG TERMINALS 7 Sheets-Sheet a Filed Feb. 25, 1938 m a E INVENTOR I CLARENCE J KELLER HIS ATTORNEYS 151939. c. 4. KELLE- 2,169,802

' APPARATUS FOR FORMING 4ND ATTACHING PLUG TERIINALS Fi'ld Feb. 25, 1338 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 m EF ER $1 H INVENTOR v CLARENCE J KELLER 1 HIS ATTORNEYS Aug. 15, 1939. c. ,1. KELLER 2,159,302

APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND ATTACHINQ PLUG TERIINALS Filed Feb. 23, 19:58 .TSheets-SheetS lNV-NTOR CLARENCE J KELLER HIS ATTORNEYS Aug. 15, 1939. c. J. KELLER 2,169,302

r APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND ATTACHING PLUG TERIINALS Filed Feb. 23, 1938 7 She' ets-$heet 6 InuIIIIIIIIIII H w IN NTOR CLAREN J KELLER HIS ATI'ORNEY5 c. KELLER I 2,169,802

APPARATUS FOR FORMING 'AND ATTACHING PLUG TERIINALS Filed Feb. 23 1938 v'7 Sheets-Sheet 7 15 5a r-eu ,5:

' i O 0 O O 0 HIS ATTQRNEYS INVENTOR CLARENCEJ KELLER Patented Aug. 15, 1939 ori ice v APPARATUS FOR FORMNG AND ATTACH- I 3 ING PLUG TERMINALS "CIarence J. Keller, Anderson, Ind., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich a corporation of Delaware I Application February 23, 1938, Serial No. 191,901

. material, forming the blank to receive an end of a conductor cable, and for attaching the ferrule to',.the cable.

Further objects and advantages of the present inventlonwill be apparent from the following description, reference being'ha'd to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figs. 1 and 1a taken together form a side elevational view of a machineembodyingthe present invention.

Fig. 2 is a progressive plan view in perspective,

I of a blank punched from sheet metal by the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 1a.

Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views of a terminal ferrule formed from the blank and attached to the cable. A

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partly in section, of the parts of the apparatus attached to the head and base of the punch press as viewed in the direction of the arrow 5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a plan view looking in the direction of thearrow 1 of Fig. 5, showing the parts of the apparatus attached to the base of the machine.

Fig. 8 is a plan view looking in the direction of arrow 8 of Fig. 5 of the apparatus attached to the head of the punch press turned end for end.

'Fig. 9 is a plan view of the flat metal strip showing the. various operations performed by the punches as the strip is intermittently fed thru the die.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on the line I 5 of Fig. 6 with parts broken away for clearness.

Fig. 11 is a'sectional view taken on the line ii--li of Fi 6.

Fig. '12 is a sectional view taken on theline I2l2 of Figs. 6,7, and 8. y

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken on the line "IS-l3 of. Figs. 6, '7 and 8.

Fig. 14 is a sectional view taken on the line |4--l- 4of Figs. 6, '7, and 8.

Fig. 15' is a plan viewof a cover plate.

Fig. 16 is a sectional view taken on the line 13-46 of Fig. 15.

I Fig. 17 is an end view of the cover plate shown in Fig. 15. I

Fig. 18 is a sectional view taken on the lin Iii-l8 of Fig. 15. Fig. 19 is a plan view of a base frame. Fig. 20 is a sectional view taken on the line 23.20 of Fig. 19.

Fig. 21 is an end in Fig. 19.

Fig. 22 is a plan view of a supporting plate. Fig. 23 is a sectional view taken on the line '23-'23 of Fig. 22. g i

Fig. 24 is a plan view' of the die members used in the present invention.

' Fig. 25 is a sectional view taken on the line .25-25 of Fig. 24. i

view of the base frame shown Referring to the drawings, a punch press comprises a bed 3| integral with side-frames 32, one of which is shown in Figs. 1 and 1a. .The

upper ends of the side frames provide bearingsfor a shaft 33 having a crank or eccentric well known to those skilled in the art, and connected by an eccentric link 34 with a vertical reciprocal head 35. The shaft 33 carries a crank disc 36 carrying an adjustable crank pin 31 connected by a rod 33 with a pivot screw 33 carried by the free end of an arm 40 loosely journalled on a feed roll shaft 4| to which is attached a ratchet wheel 42 and a hand wheel 43. A ratchet pawl 44 is supported by the lever '43 and engages the ratchet wheel 42 in order to turn the latter only in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1a whenever the arm 40 is moved in the same direction.

The shaft 4| is therefore intermittently rotated in order to operate feed rolls 45 and 46- which intermittently feed astrip of sheet metal 53 (see also Figs. 6 and'9) thru a guide 5|, a shallow groove 52 in a cover plate 53 which is attached by screws 54 to a base frame 55. The base frame is also secured by screws 54 to a base'block 51 attached by studs 53 to the bed 3| of the machine.

The metal strip 53 is shaped to form a blank 5 63 shown in Flgs. 2.and 9 by pimches 6i and 32 attached to a block 53 which is attached to a. block secured to the press head 35. The

punches SI and 62 cooperate with'a die block outa series of. blanks 60 having a pair of arms on providing the T-shaped recesses on the edges of the strip, are forced through the die block 65 into apertures II and I2 ofthe base block 51 and bed 3| respectively. In this way the punches M and 62 cooperate with the die member 65 to punch the edges thereof and connected together by a neck portion 60a. 7

The feeding mechanism is adjusted so as to feed the strip 50 toward the right as viewed in Fig. 1a or downwardly as viewed in Fig. 9 a distance equal to the length of the blank 60 including the neck portion 60a. Referring to Fig. 9 and using station A between parallel lines g-g and h-h to designate the position of the work in which the blank is first punched, station C between the lines 70-]: and l-l will be the position of the work in which the blank is pierced and the arms deformed to form resilient arms for the ferrule designated in its entirety by numeral I00, station D between the lines m--m and n-n will be the position of the work in which the blank is folded into a U-shaped formation, station E between the lines o--0 and p-p will be the position -of the work when the ferrule is severed from the blank as the ferrule is being attached to the end of the cable which is accomplished between the lines p-p and q-q at station F.

The operation of piercing a blank and deforming the arms in the manner specified is performed at station C by a piercing and forming assembly located within the aperture 66 of a base frame adjacent the die block 65. The assembly also includes an. automatic locking assembly, referred to as station'B in Fig. 9 of the drawings. This locking assembly comprises a plurality of members positioned adjacent the left-hand side of the die block 65 and includes a block 715 (see Fig. 24) provided with a pmr of notches or recesses 16. A plain block 'I'i abuts the block I5 to close the open end of the notches it. These notches are adapted to receive pins We carried by a. locking lever 10 suitably pivoted at E9 on the cover plate 53 secured to the base frame 55 as shown in Fig. 14.

The piercing and forming apparatus for piercmg the blank and for deforming the arms thereon comprises a pair of T-shaped blocks 00 and BI having their stems provided with ledged portions 62 and 03 and cylindrical portions 90 and 85 respectively. The stem portions cooperate to provide side recesses between the blocks. The ledge 82 of the block 00 is provided with a V- shaped groove or notch 86 and the ledge 03 closes the notch 86 to form an opening of triangular shape. Located on opposite sides of the stems and in the recesses provided by the blocks 00 and 6 I blocks 90 the top surfaces of which are suitably gouged to provide irregular surfaces 9i in which the arms of the blank are deformed so as to pro.- vide resilient arms upon the blank. The resilient or deformed arms are provided with a ribbed portion 92' and a gripping portion 93 adapted to bite into the insulation of the cable. 'I'l'le'blocks 90 aremaintained against the stems of the blocks and BI by plain blocks 90. Guided between increased in size and is slidably supported within an aperture 98 provided in a base block 5]. The plunger 95 is held in its normal or home position by a spring 99 located between washers I06; said washers and spring are held on a rod connected to the plunger by lock nuts IN. The upper washer bears against the lowerside of the base 51 so that the tension of the spring 99 will urge the rod and plunger 95 downwardly as viewed in, I

Fig. 13. The plunger 95 is provided with a transverse slot I02 to receive a toe I03 of a lever I04 pivotally supported at I05 on the base block 51. The plunger 95 is moved vertically upward by the lever I04 when said lever is moved in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 13.

As before mentioned the operation for piercing a blank and deforming the arms is performed at station C, and is accomplished by a forming block I I0 attached to the block 63 which is attached to the block 64 that is attached to the press head 36. The forming blocks IIO suitably support deforming members H2 the ends of which have irregu lar surfaces that are complementary to the recessed surfaces in the blocks I I 0. Yieldingly supported between the blocks H2 is the hollow plunger II3 having a triangular shaped opening and is of such. size so as to receive the thickness of the metal and the piercing member 96 of the plunger 95. The piercing member cooperates with the opening in the plunger I I3 to bend the prong at substantially right angles to'the plane of the intermediate portion of the thus formed blank 60. A bracket II 4 is attached to the block 64 bybolt and nut device H5. The bracket I I4 also carries screw 1 I6 which may be adjusted as desired by the lock nuts 1.

During the downward movement of the press engage. the lever I04 to rock it in a clockwise direction about its pivot I05, and vertically raise the plunger 95 upwardly causing the piercing member 96 to pierce the blank 60 to form the pointed prong 91 in the blank. As the press head 35 is continued further toward the members the end surfaces of the blocks II2 force the arms into the complementary surfaces of the members 90 to deform the arms and form the ribs 92 and the gripping portion 93 as clearly shown in Fig. 25. While the arms of the blank are being deformed the pointed prong 9! and the reduced portion 96 of the plunger 95 will project into the triangular shaped opening of the plunger H3 so as to smooth out and bend the prong 9! to the proper angle relative to the plane of the blank.

Referring to Figs. 6 and 12 the cover plate 53 is provided with an aperture I20 which extends over a pair of apertures HI and I22 provided in apertures are adapted to receive forming members 02d and I25, separated by a notch I26, of a. movable member I27. The notch is adapted to receive the web I23 which provides a guide for the vertical movement of the members IN and I25. These forming members cooperate to bend the thus far deformed blank into a U-shaped formation. The member I21 is provided with projections I20 at the bottom thereof; these projections are adapted to engage shoulders I29 provided in the member 55, said shoulders operating to limit the upward movement of the member I21 while the upper face of the block 51 limits the downward movement thereof. The lower side of the member I21 is provided with a shank I30 adapted to slide within a vertical open- 76 position for the piercing and deforming operaing in the base block 61. The shank I66 has a transverse opening I3I to receive a toe I32 of a lever I33,-the lever being pivoted at I64 upon the base member 51. The lower end of the shank I36 is connected to a 'rod which projects into the,

opening-I36 provided in the bed 3i. The rod carries washers I31 between which there is a spring I36. One of the washers resting against the bottom of the base block 61 the other resting against the lock nuts I36. 'The spring operating to urge the plunger member I21 and shank I66 downwardly as viewed in Fig. 12.

As before mentioned the operation for formingthe blank into a U-shaped formation, is performed at station D; is accomplished by a yieldable punch I having a recess Mia and carried by the block 63. A bracket I46 is secured to the block 64 by a bolt and nut device I41. An adjustable screw member I48 is supported on the bracket I46, with the lower end of thescrew I46 adapted to engage the free end of the. lever I33.

During the downward movement of the press head 35 the lower end of the screw I46 will first engage the lever I33 to raise the member-I21 vertically upward to bend the blank around a U- shaped end of the plunger I45 when the plunger engages the blank 66. prong 91 will enter the recess I45a so that the prong will not be damaged during the bending of the blank. A spring I46 urges the plunger against the blank which holds the center portion of the blank against the partition I23 while the edges of the blank are bent against the side wallsof the plunger I45. The spring also permits movement of the plunger I45 relative to the block 64. When the press head 36 is in its lowest position the spring. I49 will be fully compressed. During the upward movement of the head 35 the spring I46 is permitted to expand and at the same time hold the blank against the partition I23. Therefore, as the head 36 moves upwardly and as the end of screw I46 moves away from the lever I33 the spring I36 will move the plunger I21 downwardly to return same to its home position which is against the base head 61.

The work is automatically locked'at station B by the device shown in Fig. 14. This locking de- A vice comprises the pins 11a adapted to project on both sides of the reduced neck portion 66a, of the clip 66 as illustrated in Fig. 9. At the time the feeding mechanism begins to feed the strip 56 toward the right as viewed in Figure 1a the pins 11aare withdrawn from the slots on both sides of the neck portion 660 due to the lever 16 being engaged by the head of a pin I66 yieldingly supported on a lug I46 attached to the block 64. The strip 56 continues to move 7 toward the right after the pin I56 has released the lever'18 during the upward movement of the head 35. Therefore while the strip 56 is still moving a spring I53 cayses the lever 18 to move in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 14 in order to move the pins 11a against the moving strip 56. The strip will continue to move until the slots of the blank 66 are located immediately below the pins 11a whereupon the pins 11a will drop into the slots and arrest the movement of the strip 56.

If the feeding apparatus cannot be adjusted so that it will feed exactly the required distance there may. be a slight over-travel since the rolls I 45 and 4.6 may slip on the strip 56 after the pins 11a interlock with the slots provided in the block 15 to prevent further movement of the strip. In this way the strip is located in the correct when this occurs the tions performed at station 0 or for the operations performed at stations D, E, and F. At the station E the neck 66a is cut oil by punch I" having a shank I6I extending thru the block 63.

56. The neck'portions 66a. which are cut away i by the punch I66 are forced by the punch thru the aperture I66 which is in alignment with the aperture I66 in the base block 61.

Referring to Fig. 6 the operation of bending the thus far form blank 66 around the insulation of the cableis preformed by notch forming bars I16, "I and I12 while the clip 66 rests upon an anvil I66 as shown more particularly in Figs. 6 and 10. The bars I16, I" and I12 are received by a recess I14 in the block 63 and clamped therein by screws I15. It will be noted that bar I12 is provided with an angular portion I16 having an aperture I11 thru which a screw I16 passes that bears against the upper edge of the bar I1I in order to limit the 'upper movement thereof. The upper edge of the bar "I abuts the lower surface of the angular portion I 16 of While the screws I15 are loose the bars I16, "I and I12 are moved upwardly in the recess I14 of block 66until the angular portion of the bar I12 touches the lower surface of the block 64. Since the screw I16 passes thru the aperture I11 the upper surface of the baranvil I66 is an insert in the block I6I shown in.

Fig. 16, said block being received by'an aperture I66 in the frame block 65 and secured therein by screws I62.

The lower surface of the bars I16, "I and I12 are provided with notches I65 which operate to complete the bending of the blank around the cable. It will be noted that the notched portion of the bar I is provided with an additional notched portion I86. The purpose of the notch I66 is to receive the rib portion 62 formed on the resilient arm of the blank so as not to damage the rib 62 as a ferrule is attached to the cable-at station F. At station F the prong 61 is forced into the insulation of the cable intoengagement with the conducting element of the cable and the gripping members 63 into biting engagement with the insulation of the cable while the remainder of the blank is bent around the cable as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

To .use amachine to complete the formation of the ferrule and securely attach the ferrule to the cable, the operator places upon the ter- 15 cable causing the tangs to pinch in a direction of the arrow is! in .Fig. 1, the head ll moves downwardly to perform the various operations, namely, punching the flat stock to form arms at its edges, piercing the blank to provide a pointed prong. and-deforming. the arms to form yieldable holding means andproviding biting members, bending the'blank into a semi-circular formation, cutting off the clip thus formed and thenattaching it to an electrical conductor. During the downward movement of the head it the feeding mechanism is backed .up for the feeding operation whichtakes place during the upward movement of the head. I

It is therefore apparent from the foregoing descrlption of construction and mode of operation of the machine for forming and attaching a ferrule to the end of the cable which is adapted to be inserted into a socket of an electrical apparatus, such as a distributor head of an ignition timer for use with an internal combustion engine, the cost of operation of providing a conductor with a yieldable ferrule thereon has been materially reduced because one machine performs the operations of forming the ferrule and of attaching it to the cable, and because there is a. considerable saving of time as compared with the method of manufacturing requiring that the ferrule be made on one machine and then later attach the ferrule to the conductor by another machine.

Another important advantage is had by the reason of the fact that the raw material is not manufactured into ferrules except as needed.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, ali coming within the scope of the 'claimswhich follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. Apparatus for forming a terminal ferrule andfor attaching the ferrule to a cable, comprising in combination; means for forming from a strip of sheet metal, connected blanks with each blank having an intermediate portion and parallel arms on the edges thereof; means for piercing the intermediate portion of the blanks to provide a pointed portion; means for deforming the arms to provide grippin end portionsthereon; means for forming the pierced into U-shaped members; means for severing the U-shaped members from the remainder lot the strip; and meansfor forming theushaped members about the able and causing the pointedportion to pierce the insulation and engage the. conducting element, of the cable and the gripplngend portionsto pinch the outer surface of. thecable.

- 2. Apparatus forforming-a terminal ferrule and for attaching the'ferrule to a cable, comprising in combination; means for forming from a strlpof sheet metal connected blanks with each blank having an intermediate portion and spaced parallel arms on the edges thereof; means for vpiercing the intermediate portio of-the blanks .to provide-a pointed portion; means for de forming the arms to form outwardly-extending ribs and inwardly extending tangs on the ends ,of the arms; means for bending the pierced lblank into \J- haped members; means for severing the U-shaped members from the remainder of'the strip: means for forcing the pointed portion through the insulation and into engagement with'the conducting element of the :cable;

and means for bending the arms around the the insulation ferrule.

com

most U-shaped forming connected c eeses of the cable and a. as for forming a terminal ferrule and for attaching the ferrule to an end of a cable, in combination; means for forming from a strip of sheet metal connected blanks with each blank comprising an. intermediate portion and spaced branches at its edges; means for penetrating the intermediate portion of the blanks to form a pointed prong, said prong being bent atan angle with respect to the blanks; means for bending the branch members away from the plane of the blanks to form ribs and pinching members on the ends of] the branches:

complete the formation ofthe means for bending the pierced members into 0'- shaped members; means for severing the foremember from the strip; and means for forcing the'pointed prong of the severed member into engagement with the conducting element of the cable and to complete the '20 bending of the branches around the cable causing the pinching member to engage the cable in order to secure the ferrule to the cable.

4. An apparatus for forming a terminal ferrule and attaching the ferrule to a cable comprising, 5 in combination; punch and die members for forming from a strip of'sheet'metal connected blanks with each blank comprising an intermediate portion and having a plurality of spaced arms, said blanks being connected by narrow neck porso tions; means for feeding intermittently the strip of stock to the punch and die members; means for piercing the intermediate portion of the blanks to provide a prong: means for bending the arms out of the plane of the blanks to provide yieldable gripping members; means for bending the thus formed blanks into a U-shaped formation adapted to receive an end of the cable; means for severing the foremost neck from the strip to free the foremost blank of U-shaped 40 formation; and means for completing the bending of the free blank around the cable so that the prong will contact with the conducting element of the cable and the gripping members will engage the cable to hold the ferrule on the cable. 5

5. An-apparatus for forming a terminal ferrule and attaching the ferrule to a cable, comprising in combination; punch and die members for forming from a strip of sheet metalconnected blanks with a plurality of spaced arms: means for feeding the strip tothe punch and die members; means operating simultaneously with the punch and die members for piercing a section of the blanks. to form a pointed member and to bend the arms out of the plane of the blanks and to deform the ends thereof to provide gripping members: meansoperating simultaneously with the punch and die members to bend the blanks into U-shaped members: means operating simultaneously with the punch and die members for' so severing the foremostU-shaped member from the strip; and means operating simultaneously with the punchand die members for bending the severed U-shapedmember around a cable to form the ferrule, and causing the pointed member to as pierce the insulation and engage the conducting element of the cable and the gripping members to punch the outer surface of the cable in order to secure the ferrule to the cable. 6. Apparatus for forming a terminal ferrule and for attaching the ferrule to a cable, comprising in, combination: punch and die members for blanks from a strip of sheet metal with each blank having a medial portion interposed between laterally spaced arms; means 2,169,802 r I; 5 I

ber from the remainder of the strip; and means for attaching the free U-shaped member about the cable whereby the pointed portion will pierce the insulation and engage the conducting element of the cable and the gripping end portions to I pinch the outer surface or the cable.

CLARENCE J; KELLER. 

